Announcements

CONTESTS

STEM-ulating Growth in New Fields
<www.blindscience.org>
Contact: Natalie Shaheen
(410) 659-9314, ext. 2293
nshaheen@nfb.org
Open to students who have attended summer science programs sponsored by the NFB Jernigan Institute
Deadline for entries: March 31, 2010
Have you or your student/child participated in one of the following programs sponsored by the NFB Jernigan Institute: Science Academy 2004, Rocket On! 2004, Science Academy 2005, Rocket On! 2005, Science Academy 2006, Rocket On! 2006, Youth Slam 2007, Junior Science Academy 2008, or Youth Slam 2009? Alumni of these programs are invited to enter an exciting new contest. To enter, a contestant must show in a creative way what science means to him or her. An entry may be in any form the student chooses: a poem, essay, song, or piece of art. The top ten entries will be displayed on the Accessible Bulletin Board in the Betsy Zaborowski Conference Room at the NFB Jernigan Institute and will be featured at <www.blindscience.org>. The creator of the first-place entry will receive an iTunes gift certificate worth $25. For rules and an online contest application visit <www.blindscience.org> and follow the "STEM-ulating Growth in New Fields Contest" link.

Onkyo Braille Literacy Essay Contest
Contact: Trisha Tatam
(410) 659-9314, Ext. 2510
ttatam@nfb.org
Deadline for entries: April 30, 2010
In conjunction with the World Blind Union the NFB will administer this essay contest in the United States. Blind people in the US and Canada are eligible to enter. Essays must be written in Braille on either of these topics: (1) how one gains knowledge or independence through Braille, or (2) world peace from the perspective of a person with a disability. The contest has two categories: one for people twenty-five and younger, and the other for people above twenty-five. Seven cash prizes will be awarded.

Cinema without Sight Film Festival
Braille Institute of America
741 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90029
Contact: Christine Pak
(800) 272-4553, Ext. 1321
cgpak@brailleinstitute.org
Deadline for entries: April 1, 2010
Blind and visually impaired students are invited to submit original videos to this contest in honor of the tenth anniversary of the Braille Challenge. Videos may be scripted or may be collections of images and scenes, based on the theme "I Am More than What I See." The top three entries will premier at the June 2010 Braille Challenge Finals, with a top prize of $1,000.

BRAILLE READING CLUB

Braille Reading Pals Club
<www.nfb.org/readingpals
Contact: Treva Olivero
(410) 659-9314 Ext. 2295
tolivero@nfb.org
Program begins: April 1, 2010
The Braille Reading Pals Club is an early literacy program that encourages parents to read daily with their blind or low-vision children. Families of children from infancy through age seven are eligible to join. Club members will receive a print/Braille book, a plush "reading pal," a monthly newsletter, quarterly Braille activity sheets, Braille birthday cards for child participants, and an introduction to a network of resources devoted to serving parents of blind children.

SCHOLARSHIPS

NFB State Scholarships

Many state affiliates of the NFB offer scholarships for blind postsecondary students who reside or study in that state. Check with your NFB state president to find out about your affiliate's scholarship programs.

Thirty national scholarships will be awarded, ranging in value from $3,000 to $12,000. Scholarship finalists will also be assisted to attend the 2010 convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Dallas, Texas.

SUMMER LEARNING

Swimming, hiking, boating, nature study, arts and crafts; singing around the campfire; ghost stories and s’mores - the memories of summer camp last a lifetime. Blind and sighted children can select from an almost limitless array of day camps and sleepaway camps. Many offer general activities while others specialize in areas such as art, computers, music, nature, or sports. For blind children and teens who need to improve their blindness skills, a number of invaluable summer opportunities are also available. These programs give blind kids the chance to bond with blind peers and to gain confidence by meeting adult blind role models.

Summer Programs at the NFB Training Centers

Each summer the three adjustment-to-blindness programs of the National Federation of the Blind operate summer camps for blind children and teens. Participants receive intensive training in Braille, assistive technology, skills of daily living, and independent travel, interwoven with field trips, games, picnics, and other fun activities. The summer programs at the NFB centers employ counselors who are blind themselves. Blind kids and teens learn skills from people who use them on a daily basis, and in the process they discover that it truly is okay to be blind. Below is information about the summer programs sponsored by the three NFB centers. Students who apply to the high school and college programs should have an open case with their state rehabilitation agency to help cover the cost.

Independence 2010, June 20-August 1, 2010
Open to students entering grades 10, 11, or 12
Students from Maryland and out of state receive instruction in Braille, technology, household management, and independent travel, as well as enjoying fun activities that build confidence.
Deadline for applications: April 15, 2010

Camp Tuhsmeheta
Dates for summer sessions will be announced on the Website.
Camp Tuhsmeheta offers a unique outdoor experience to blind children and youth. (For more information, see "The 2009 Jacob Bolotin Awards" in this issue of Future Reflections.)

Camp Eureka! 2010
Date: To be determined
Open to students age 12 and up
Skilled and highly motivated blind students from across the country will work with a professor of biology at the University of Montana to develop accessible simulated biology lab software for students from middle school to college level. This software will help insure that blind students and other students with disabilities will have access to biology lessons and concepts. The model developed by students at Camp Eureka! will be evaluated by students at NFB Youth Slam in 2011.

2010 Summer Braille Music Institute, July 11-17, 2010
Open to students age 16 and over who are college-bound or already enrolled in college
Application deadline: May 5, 2010
Held on the campus of the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia, this week-long program is designed for blind students who are seriously committed to the study of music. Students will be instructed in Braille music and accessible music software. The program is customized to the needs of each individual participant.